Positives and negatives:

Soil is a major component of the Earth's ecosystem. 

With its natural functions intact, soil helps maintain water, climate, and nutrient cycles. It is the foundation for all terrestrial life. The great paradox is that our existence and everything we do depend upon ecosystem services from the soil, but at the same time, our way of life threatens the soil on a global scale. Without soil there is no life, and without life – no soil (Lal., 2019). 

Throughout human history, our relationship with the soil has affected our ability to cultivate crops and influenced the success of civilizations. This relationship between humans, the earth, and food sources affirms soil as the foundation of agriculture.

Soil contains naturally inherent nutrients and minerals that promote life, making it an ideal planting medium. Therefore, soil acts as an engineering medium, a habitat for soil organisms, a recycling system for nutrients and organic wastes, a regulator of water quality, a modifier of atmospheric composition, and a medium for plant growth, making it a critically important provider of ecosystem services.

Studies of soil health have shown greater stability in micro-flora and micro-fauna activity, indicative of better biodynamic balance for organic matter and nutrient utilization (Syngenta Conservation Agriculture & Sustainable Farming Systems project, 2023). 

However, agriculture and climate change share a complicated, intertwined relationship creating both negative and positive effects on agriculture sustainability. On one side, agriculture practices contribute to climate change by releasing significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Climate change significantly alters the delicate balance of our planet’s seasons. This shift disruptively impacts agriculture, as crops are acutely sensitive to variations in weather and climate conditions.

However, it’s not just the intricacies of plant biology that are at risk due to shifting seasons caused by climate change impacts on agriculture; farmers’ livelihoods are under threat too. A crop expected to be harvested in October may need picking in August or even later in December, greatly disturbing farming schedules and associated industries like transport and retail.